Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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Paternal Family Tree: Montagu
Maternal Family Tree: Emma de Dinan 1136-1208
Around 1684 George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax was born to [his father] Edward Montagu (age 35) and [his mother] Elizabeth Pelham (age 34).
In 1694 Godfrey Kneller (age 47). Portrait of George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 10).
In 1700 [his uncle] Charles Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 38) was created 1st Baron Halifax with special remainder to his nephew George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 16).
In 1706 George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 22) and Ricarda Posthuma Saltonstale (age 17) were married.
In 1711 [his wife] Ricarda Posthuma Saltonstale (age 22) died.
After 1711 George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 27) and Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 20) were married. She the daughter of Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough (age 61) and Frances Jones Countess Scarborough (age 43). They were fifth cousin once removed.
In 1715 George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 31) was created 1st Earl Halifax. [his wife] Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 24) by marriage Countess Halifax.
In 1715 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 66) died.
On 19th May 1715 [his uncle] Charles Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 54) died. Earl Halifax extinct. His nephew George (age 31) succeeded 2nd Baron Halifax.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 6th October 1716 [his son] George Montagu Dunk 2nd Earl Halifax was born to George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 32) and [his wife] Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 25). He married 1741 Anne Richards.
In 1718 [his daughter] Mary Montagu was born to George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 34) and [his wife] Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 27). She married 25th September 1740 Danvers Osborn 3rd Baronet and had issue.
On 17th December 1721 [his father-in-law] Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough (age 71) died of apoplexy at Gerard Street, Soho. His son [his brother-in-law] Richard (age 35) succeeded 2nd Earl of Scarborough, 3rd Viscount Lumley, 2nd Baron Lumley.
On 23rd May 1723 James Saunderson 1st Earl Castleton (age 56) died unmarried. Earl Castleton and Viscount Castleton extinct. His estates were inherited by his cousin [his brother-in-law] Thomas Lumley-Saunderson 3rd Earl Scarborough (age 32) who added Saunderson to his surname.
On 13th July 1723 [his mother] Elizabeth Pelham (age 73) died.
In 1724 [his brother-in-law] Richard Lumley 2nd Earl Scarborough (age 37) was appointed 542nd Knight of the Garter by King George I (age 63).
On 27th June 1724 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Lumley-Saunderson 3rd Earl Scarborough (age 33) and Frances Hamilton Countess Scarborough were married. She the daughter of George Hamilton 1st Earl Orkney (age 58) and Elizabeth Villiers Countess Orkney (age 67). He the son of [his father-in-law] Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough and [his mother-in-law] Frances Jones Countess Scarborough. They were fourth cousins.
On 12th December 1726 [his wife] Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 35) died.
In 1728 [his son-in-law] Francis North 1st Earl Guildford (age 23) and [his daughter] Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford were married. She the daughter of George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 44) and [his former wife] Ricarda Posthuma Saltonstale. They were fourth cousins.
In 1734 [his daughter] Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford died.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 1st January 1739 [his son-in-law] Roger Burgoyne 6th Baronet (age 28) and [his daughter] Frances Montagu Lady Burgoyne were married. She by marriage Lady Burgoyne of Sutton in Bedfordshire. She the daughter of George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 55) and [his former wife] Mary Lumley Countess Halifax. They were fifth cousins.
On 9th May 1739 George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 55) died. His son George (age 22) succeeded 2nd Earl Halifax, 3rd Baron Halifax.
[his father] Edward Montagu and [his mother] Elizabeth Pelham were married. They were fourth cousins.
[his daughter] Frances Montagu Lady Burgoyne was born to George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax and Mary Lumley Countess Halifax. She married 1st January 1739 her fifth cousin Roger Burgoyne 6th Baronet, son of Roger Burgoyne 4th Baronet, and had issue.
[his daughter] Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford was born to George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax and Ricarda Posthuma Saltonstale. She married 1728 her fourth cousin Francis North 1st Earl Guildford, son of Francis North 2nd Baron Guildford and Alicia Brownlow Baroness Guildford, and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 19 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 22 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 17 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 10 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 18 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 16 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 19 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 24 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Dudley 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Roper of Well Hall 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Helen Roper
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Alexander Harrington 
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Harrington
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Moton
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Harrington
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Sidney 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Lucy Sidney
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham
GrandFather: George Montagu 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Crouch of Corneyborough
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester
Father: Edward Montagu 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Anthony Irby
Great x 1 Grandfather: Anthony Irby 12 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Peyton of Isleham in Cambridgeshire 
9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Peyton 1st Baronet 10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Rich 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Peyton 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Osborne 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Osborne
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Hewett
GrandMother: Elizabeth Irby 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Wray
Great x 3 Grandfather: Christopher Wray
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Jackson
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Wray 1st Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Girlington
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Girlington
Great x 1 Grandmother: Frances Wray 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Drury 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Drury 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Audrey Rich
Great x 2 Grandmother: Frances Drury Lady Glentworth 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Stafford 
14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stafford 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Stafford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Pelham
Great x 3 Grandfather: Nicholas Pelham 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Carew 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Pelham 1st Baronet 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Sackville 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Sackville 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Boleyn 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Pelham 2nd Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Walsingham
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Walsingham
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Gouter
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Walsingham Baroness Pelham Laughton 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Guildford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Guildford 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Barbara West 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
GrandFather: John Pelham 3rd Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Mother: Elizabeth Pelham 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Sidney
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Sidney
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Dudley 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Gamage of Coity Castle 10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Gamage of Coity Castle 11 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandMother: Lucy Sidney Baroness Pelham Laughton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Percy 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Harbottle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Neville 4th Baron Latimer of Snape 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Lucy Somerset Baroness Latimer Snape 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Devereux 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Hastings 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Knollys 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Carey 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England